Disclaimer: All Praise the wonderful ladies of Clamp for giving us such fine characters
Story: Under the Cherry Tree
Warnings: Sever Angst, Yaoi, mature topics and themes not meant for the faint of heart.
The Gundam Wing plot bunnies are still multiplying but I managed to get these next two bunnies snuck in. This chapter and the next are rather serious in nature. Enjoy.
Chapter 10 – To find a Monster
The boys returned to the store just before it opened for the day. As they had been out all night Kekai kindly allowed them to head upstairs and grab a few hours of sleep before having to work that afternoon. He would have let them take the whole day off, but tomorrow was 'White Day' and business was already booming in preparation for the holiday. Most of the customers for this holiday were men looking for gifts, white chocolate and cards to return the valentines chocolates they had received a month earlier.
Trudging up the stairs to their shared apartment, the tired boys sank into their respective beds and started taking off their shoes. Rikuo was so tired he was contemplating skipping getting undressed and just passing out. The whole way home Kazahaya hadn't said very much, which told Rikuo he was either also very tired or thinking way too hard. Rikuo suspected the latter, it had been a long and trying night for the tall dark haired boy and he knew Kazahaya must be dying to find out why the larger boy had broken down as he had. Though Rikuo felt 'cleaner' than he ever had since the day he'd been basically sold into prostitution. He wasn't quite ready yet to just start 'babbling away' about it to Kazahaya (or anyone) unless asked.
"Ah, Rikuo?"
(sigh)
"Aye, Kaza, what's up?"
"Um, what Danae said, that I'm your, 'Heartmate'. What do you think she meant by that."
"Huh? That's, what you've been thinking about so hard. Shit Kazahaya, I don't know, it's probably just some elfin term for boyfriend or something like that."
"Ha, some boyfriend you are, I'm still waiting for a second 'real' date." Rikuo smirked at the put out tone in Kazahaya's voice. Ahh, so that was it.
"Idiot. Look Kazahaya, if you want more kisses later all you have to do is ask. I'd drag you out to the living room for kisses now, except I'm about to pass out from exhaustion."
"Oh okay, I really would like more kisses Rikuo. But um, tomorrow is White Day you know, and I sorta thought maybe we could, you know go out or something."
"Aw, Shit already?"
"What the Fuck! You ASSHOLE. I thought we were dating, are you ashamed of me or something?'
"No-No Kaza, that's not what I meant, honestly. I didn't realize White Day was so close already. I didn't get you anything yet. Damnit." Kazahaya blushed in the soft light filtering in thru the window blinds.
"Oh, ah that's okay Rikuo I mean I didn't get you any chocolate for Valentines Day. So you don't have to actually 'get' me anything in return, and….. ah, Rikuo, what the 'Hell' are you doing?" Rikuo had gotten up from his bed and was lying down on Kazahaya's and pulling the slender blonde into his arms. Kazahaya started blushing even more.
"Shut up Idiot, and go to sleep. I'm too tired to molest you."
"I, um,.. I guess its okay." Kazahaya turned around to face Rikuo and buried his face in his chest. The two exhausted and still clothed teenagers quickly fell asleep, wrapped in each others arms.
-
Once they woke up later that day, they worked down in the store with Kakei and Saiga until far into the night, getting everything ready for the 'Holiday' the following morning. The next day was very hectic not surprisingly, with men and even woman crowding the store, getting those last minute gifts and cards. Most of the men, like Rikuo, had totally forgotten the holiday and were desperate for just about anything to give their girlfriends and lovers. Most of the women just came in to ogle the beautiful boys that worked at the store. Kind of like a White Day gift in and of itself.
As usually Kakei had decided to dress his two employees' up for the Holiday, in outfits which of course Saiga had custom made for each boy. I mean, have you ever seen a white fish net shirt? That's what Kekai put Kazahaya in, Rikuo had a solid white shirt that clung to each and every well defined muscle. The rest of the outfit was considerably tamer, if you consider skin tight white pants tame. Both boys were of course dressed all in white. Even their usual Green Drug store aprons were white today. Saiga had donned a white t-shirt instead of a black one for the occasion. Actually Rikuo wasn't quite as irritated as he usually was by Kekai's little 'Holiday games' and blatant attempts to drum up business. As well as do his best to embarrass his employee's. Plus Rikuo planned, once Kekai let them go for the day, to take Kazahaya out for a real date.
The store had just closed, Kekai was counting out the cast drawer and Rikuo was hurrying thru his assigned tasks so he could get upstairs and in the shower before Kazahaya. He had dinner to make and had been contemplating all day on where he would take the blonde for a date afterwards. A walk in the park, a club or perhaps that little restaurant Watanuki had told the two about that made such awesome deserts. When he heard Kekai's cell phone go off.
"Kakei here."
"The wrong child was taken tonight. The wish has finally been made, and you will be able to track him now."
"Yukko-san,..What do you have for me?"
"The old Amusement Park, far back alley, second trash bin on the left, you will be able to take it from there."
"Gotcha, Should I send…"
"Make sure to send Saiga with Rikuo, he will know how to handle it, try to keep Kazahaya out of it if you can."
"I'm not sure I'll be able to do that. I'm going to need him."
"(Sigh) I know."
"I'll call you when it's finished"
-Click-
Kakei sighed, there was no help for it. If they didn't act now they would loose the trail, by tomorrow the energy pattern would be too weak for Kazahaya to read well. Damnit, and he'd been looking forward to spending the evening with Saiga too. He had had plans for the big man that did not include a mission tonight.
"Saiga, gather Rikuo and Kazahaya and meet me in my office."
"Kekai?"
"The time has come."
Wearing an unusually fierce expression, Saiga herded Rikuo and Kazahaya into Kakei's office. Kekai sat at his desk with the shimmering golden bundle that was the Fairy Net, sitting on the desk in front of him.
"Saiga, boy's you have a very special mission tonight to complete. It seems we will be able to use the Fairy Net much sooner than I had anticipated. I'm sorry if you had plans, but this can not wait." Rikuo was actually worried, Kekai wasn't his usual grinning teasing self, trying to trick Kazahaya and him into yet another ridiculous or silly mission to fulfill some clients wish. This sounded serious and that, quite frankly terrified Rikuo. Kazahaya was curious and of course eager for the money these missions paid.
"So Kekai, what are Rikuo and I going to be doing this time and how much does it pay?" Great, the blonde idiot had basically just accepted, yet again without finding out first what the mission entailed.
"It pays quite a bit actually as there are several clients interested in the outcome. Saiga will be going with both of you this time, because this time you are tracking a monster."
"Eh? A monster? What gives, first Fairies and now Monsters?"
Kekai held up his cell phone and hit the send button. Almost instantly the three standing male's phones beeped with an incoming message.
"I have just text the details of the mission to all your cell phones. Honestly, I would that Saiga could have handled this one on his own, or better yet, never have been necessary in the first place. He will need both of you before this is thru. Please, forgive me."
With that Kekai stood up and abruptly left the office and went into his and Saiga's apartment, were he promptly broke down into tears. The choice, to protect Rikuo and Kazahaya from what lie ahead of them, or let more innocents suffer. Well, there was, no choice. Saiga, along with Rikuo and Kazahaya read the texted info and headed off into the night towards the old Amusement Park and one of the huge trash bins located in the back alley.
-
Saiga tried to stop him, tried to explain that he needed to concentrate 'only' on where the so called 'man,' who had last touched this bin had gone, where he was hiding. Too NOT reach out to what lay inside, but he was too late. Kazahaya seeing the object of their mission, had darted out ahead of the other two males and grabbed the lid in an attempt to open it. Expecting to find some odd artifact or have something appear when he touched it, as so often happened.
Something appeared all right,….terrible, horrible images, of a small dark haired innocent boy being tortured, mutilated, raped and then killed. The Monster doing this, was literally 'feeding' on the little boy's pain, fear and agony. Kazahaya screamed and sank to the ground, unable to let go of the horrific scenes playing out before his minds eye. Rikuo and Saiga managed to get to get to the slender blonde before he actually hit the ground. And it took both of them to physically pry the mediums hands from the garbage bin lid. Rikuo held Kazahaya as Saiga carefully lifted the lid and looked inside. The big man took a deep steadying breath as he slowly closed the lid, he would call the police once they had left, and Saiga was sure Kazahaya had left no fingerprints behind.
Saiga already knew the Monster hadn't left any, if he had, the police might have been able to track and stop him long ago. But the Monster knew what he was doing, and who he was avoiding, choosing only psychically void children to feed upon normally. But tonight something had happened, and his chosen prey had somehow avoided capture. Already deep into 'feed' mode the monster had had to satisfy his needs with another victim.
This child had been the one to make 'the wish', making it after his death, price paid in full by his suffering. This wish would allow Kazahaya to 'see' where the Monster was hiding out. That wish would also allow Saiga and Rikuo to put an end once and for all to the slaughter of innocent children. After making sure there was nothing to tie Kazahaya, Rikuo or himself to the body of the little boy in the bin. The big man scooped the slender blonde into his arms and started walking away. Using a tone Rikuo had never heard in his voice, the big man pleaded with the young teen to tell him were the killer had gone. Kazahaya clung to the strong solid chest of the big man and thru his sobs tried his best.
"Kazahaya? Hey Kid, I need you to tell me where he is."
"Oh Saiga, I-I c-can't I don't want to touch that mind. It was evil Saiga, evil."
"Come on Kid, we can end this. It doesn't have to happen to another child. Tell me what you can."
"The docks, 40th ave, old abandoned building. 2nd floor. Saiga…."
"Hush Kid. I'm here, you rest for a bit, I'll carry you."
Saiga carried Kazahaya all the way to the old docks off 40th ave. Rikuo at his heels. Rikuo didn't need to look inside the bin he knew what was there, the battered remains of a child. The thing street kids feared the most, a sadist monster bent on causing pain and fear before finally killing their victims. It was a risk he had taken each and every time he'd been alone with a John. The rumors had started when he was 13, the littler kids started disappearing off the street, both the normal happy 'I got a family kind' as well as the 'nobody wants 'em' kids. There seemed no rhyme or reason to which kids got taken, but obviously there was. Saiga explained as they walked that the killer he'd been searching for, for over 4 years had only ever taken untraceable kids, untraceable by any psychic power, until now.
Saiga was hell bent on not only catching this killer, but meeting out justice. And Rikuo was right there with him every step of the way. As they neared the docks Saiga again asked Kazahaya if he could pinpoint where the Monster was, setting the slender blonde down behind some cargo bins left on the docks over night. Kazahaya had managed to stop crying, but his breathing was rough and his voice cracked with emotion.
"There, that building there." Kazahaya pointed to an old abandoned warehouse. "Second floor some old warehouse office space. F-fucking destroy him Saiga, I mean it. I NEVER want to feel anything like that again. I don't think I could stand it if I had to do this a second time."
"Believe me kid, I have every intention of making him pay for his crimes. Okay Rikuo, I'll distract him long enough for you to get the net over him."
"Right, you got it. Just lead the way."
AN: A monster awaits what will happen?